I was impressed in reading this text this morning, that it is a racial problem (the one human race) that we {As Andy Stanley said when I heard it first,} allow good things to become “god things” which is a bad thing.
In the reforms of Hezekiah in the land of Judah, I saw a nugget that I think is instructive for us. Hezekiah was a good king and did things that good kings do, including the destruction of the idols that had been erected in the land of the people of God. Notice:
“He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Neshushtan. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.” 2 Kings 18:3-6, NASB.
Destroying the idolatrous expressions of the nations that the people had adopted as customs makes sense…but did you see where he also destroyed the serpent that was the focus of the people whom God delivered when Moses lifted it up?
God gave Moses the serpent and used it intentionally for a good thing…but the people turned it into a “god thing” which is a bad thing. They burned incense (Picture a physical manifestation of prayer and adoration. It was a statement of worship) to the serpent image that Moses had given them to focus on and be delivered.
We do this still today. We focus on the gift rather than the giver. Our provision is not in the great job that we have but in the One who gave us the great job. Our security is not in strong defenses or alarm systems or fat retirement accounts but in the One who provided those things for our security. God exceeds all of these things. He uses them as vehicles of His provision but our confidence MUST NECESSARILY be on Him as our Deliverer.
Same is true in the church. We get “saved” through a VBS or Bus Ministry or the preaching of a particular pastor. Our tendency is to elevate that “vehicle” of God’s grace to a place it was never intended. We honor it, defend it, champion it…and soon worship IT more than the God who used it. It was a good thing that we made a “god thing” which is a bad thing.
Idols are made by the hands of man. They are worthless as objects of worship since how can we logically argue the reason to worship as superior something that we created ourselves?
Appreciate and give thanks for creation, but worship the Creator. And, if you find that you have come to worship a good thing…cut it up. Destroy it. Dismember it. Do great violence against it. Do not harbor it or give it quarter in your life. Do not tolerate it or seek to redeem it for a good purpose. Repent of it and destroy it as Hezekiah did the serpent of Moses. Only then will your attention be refocused as it ought toward the One, True God who delivers. Only then…
Shalom, CA
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